Components for delivery systems and methods and apparatus for manufacturing components for delivery systems - Patents.com

Abstract

A component for an article for use in or as an aerosol delivery system is provided, the component comprising a body of fibrous material and a first object and a second object circumferentially surrounded by the fibrous material, the first object being different from the second object. Articles including the component, methods of making the component, and apparatus configured to make the component are also described.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to components for use in or as an aerosol delivery system. The present disclosure also relates to articles for use in or as an aerosol delivery system, and methods and apparatus for manufacturing components for aerosol delivery systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Certain tobacco industry products generate an aerosol during use, which is inhaled by the user. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating substance, such as tobacco, to form an aerosol by heating rather than burning a substrate. Such tobacco industry products typically include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol passes to reach the user's mouth. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to embodiments described herein, according to a first aspect there is provided a component for an article for use in or as an aerosol delivery system, the component comprising a body of fibrous material and a first object and a second object circumferentially surrounded by the fibrous material, the first object being different from the second object.

[0004] According to embodiments described herein, according to a second aspect there is provided an article for use in or as an aerosol delivery system, the article comprising a component according to the first aspect.

[0005] According to embodiments described herein, according to a third aspect there is provided a method of manufacturing a component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the steps of applying a crimp pattern to a sheet material, the crimp pattern comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves; providing a supply of tubular element and a supply of aerosol modifier-emitting component; and gathering the sheet material around the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component to form a body of material having the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component embedded therein.

[0006] According to embodiments described herein, there is provided according to a fourth aspect an apparatus configured to manufacture a component according to the first aspect, the apparatus comprising: a crimp roller for applying a crimp pattern to a sheet material, the crimp pattern comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves; a feed mechanism for a tubular element; a feed mechanism for an aerosol modifier-emitting component; and a garniture assembly for gathering the sheet material around the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component to form a body of material having the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component embedded therein.

[0007] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an article for use as or with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the article including a mouthpiece. [Figure 1B] 2 is a side view of a sheet of material forming a first body of material of the article of FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of an article for use as or with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. FIG. [Diagram 3]2 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of an article for use as or with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device for generating aerosol from the aerosol-forming material of the articles of FIGS. 1-3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. 4 with the outer cover removed and no item present. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the device of FIG. 5 in partial cross-section. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the device of FIG. 5, omitting the outer cover. [Figure 8A] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 5. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of a region of the device of FIG. 8A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [Detailed Description] In the figures described herein, like reference numerals are used to denote equivalent features, items or components.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1 for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0011] Article 1 comprises a mouthpiece 2 and an aerosol-generating material 3, in this case a cylindrical rod of tobacco material, connected to mouthpiece 2. The aerosol-generating material 3 provides an aerosol when heated, for example, in a non-combustion aerosol delivery device as described herein, for example, a non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprising a coil forming a system. In other embodiments, article 1 can include its own heat source, forming an aerosol delivery system without the need for a separate aerosol delivery device.

[0012] The mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 has an upstream end 2 a adjacent the aerosol-forming material 3 and a downstream end 2 b distal to the aerosol-forming material 3 .

[0013] The aerosol-forming material 3, also referred to herein as aerosol-generating substrate 3, comprises at least one aerosol-forming material. In this example, the aerosol-forming material is glycerol. In alternative examples, the aerosol-forming material may be another material or combination thereof as described herein. Aerosol-forming materials have been found to improve the sensory performance of an article by aiding in the transfer of compounds, such as flavor compounds, from the aerosol-generating material to the consumer. However, a problem with adding such aerosol-forming materials to an aerosol-generating material in an article for use in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may be that the aerosol-forming material, when aerosolized upon heating, may increase the mass of the aerosol delivered by the article, and this increased mass may maintain a higher temperature as it passes through the mouthpiece. As the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece, it transfers heat to the mouthpiece, which warms the outer surface of the mouthpiece, including the area that contacts the consumer's lips during use. The mouthpiece temperature may be significantly higher than, for example, a conventional cigarette, to which a consumer may be accustomed when smoking, which may be an undesirable effect caused by the use of such aerosol-forming materials.

[0014] In this example, the mouthpiece comprises a first body of material 4. Embedded in the first body of material 4 are a hollow tubular element 8 and a capsule 15. The hollow tubular element 8 and the capsule 14 are each embedded in the body of material 4 and are circumferentially surrounded by the material forming the body 4. The first body of material is wrapped in a first plug wrap 7.

[0015] In this embodiment, the body 4 is a filter, however, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the body 4 may be provided simply to act as a carrier or support for the embedded object without substantially filtering the inhalant of the article 1.

[0016] The first body of material 4 is formed from a fibrous material. In this example, the first body of material 4 is formed from a sheet material 14. The sheet material 14 may be folded to form the body of material 4. The body of material 4 may be formed from a continuous web of sheet material 14. In this example, the sheet material 14 is gathered to form the body of material 4 in a manner similar to a "crepe filter". The hollow tubular elements 8 and capsules 15 are embedded in and circumferentially surrounded by the gathered sheet material 14 to form the first body of material 4.

[0017] In this example, the hollow tubular element 8 is positioned at the longitudinal end of the body of material 4 and extends to said longitudinal end of the body. The capsule 15 is positioned downstream of the hollow tubular element 8, the body of material 4 extending beyond the position of the capsule 14 such that the capsule 14 is surrounded both circumferentially and longitudinally by the first body of material 4. Advantageously, such an arrangement can result in a simplified manufacturing process, since it is possible to provide a single component that includes both the aerosol cooling cavity and the aerosol modifier releasing component.

[0018] In this example, the hollow tubular element 8 defines a void in the mouthpiece that acts as a cooling segment. The void provides a chamber through which the heated volatile components generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 flow. The hollow tubular element 8 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of the article 1. The hollow tubular element 8 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating material 3 and the downstream portion of the mouthpiece 2. The physical displacement provided by the hollow tubular element 8 provides a thermal gradient over the length of the first body of material 4.

[0019] Preferably, the internal volume of the hollow tubular element 8 is 100 mm 3It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume allows for improved aerosol formation. Such a cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to allow heated volatile components to cool, thus allowing the aerosol-generating material 3 to be exposed to higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible, which would result in an excessively warm aerosol. More preferably, the mouthpiece 2 is 120 mm or larger. 3 Larger, even more preferably 150mm 3 The cavity has a larger internal volume, allowing for further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity is about 110 mm 3 ~ approx. 600mm 3 , preferably about 120 mm 3 ~ approx. 500mm 3 In this example, the internal cavity formed by the tubular element 8 comprises a volume of about 250 mm 3 It has a volume of.

[0020] The cavity can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the cavity and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the cavity. The cavity is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, preferably at least 80 degrees Celsius, and more preferably at least 100 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the cavity and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the cavity. This temperature difference over the length of the cavity can protect a temperature sensitive element of the mouthpiece downstream of the cavity from the high temperature of the aerosol generating material 3 when heated.

[0021] Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 35 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 10 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least about 15 mm.

[0022] In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is about 15 mm to about 35 mm, more preferably about 20 mm to about 30 mm, even more preferably about 23 mm to about 27 mm, and most preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 8 is 23 mm.

[0023] In this example, the hollow tubular element 8 is formed from multiple paper layers wound in parallel with seams butted together to form a hollow tube. In this example, the first and second paper layers are provided in a two-ply tube, but in other examples, three, four or more paper layers can be used to form a three, four or more ply tube. Other configurations can be used, such as spirally wound layers of paper, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a paper mache process, molded or extruded plastic tubes, etc.

[0024] In some embodiments, the hollow tubular element 8 preferably has a wall thickness of at least about 50 μm up to about 1 mm, preferably 50 μm to 500 μm, more preferably 60 μm to 130 μm. In the present example, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular element 8 is about 130 μm. The "wall thickness" of the tubular element corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tubular element in the radial direction, not including the surrounding material in which the tubular element is embedded. This can be measured, for example, using a caliper.

[0025] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least 50 microns, preferably at least 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, or 105 microns. In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the tubular element is at least 100 or 110 microns.

[0026] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular element 8 is less than 1000 microns, preferably less than 500 microns.

[0027] In some examples, the walls of the hollow tubular element 8 are formed from paper having a basis weight in the range of 40 gsm to 100 gsm, for example, paper having a basis weight of 60 gsm to 80 gsm.

[0028] The combined thickness of the hollow tubular element 8 and the surrounding body of material 4 means that the tubular section formed by the hollow tubular element 8 embedded in the body of material 4 has a higher thermal mass, which has been found to help reduce the temperature of the aerosol passing through the tubular section and reduce the surface temperature of the mouthpiece at locations downstream of the tubular section. This is believed to be because the higher thermal mass of the tubular section allows the tubular section to absorb more heat from the aerosol compared to a tubular section with a thinner wall thickness. The increased thickness of the tubular section also directs the aerosol centrally within the mouthpiece such that less heat from the aerosol is transferred to the outer portions of the mouthpiece, such as the outer portions of the body of material.

[0029] In some embodiments, the air permeability of the wall material of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least 100 Coresta units, preferably at least 200, 500 or 1000 Coresta units.

[0030] The relatively high air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 has been found to increase the amount of heat transferred from the aerosol to the tubular portion, thus reducing the temperature of the aerosol. The air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 has also been found to increase the amount of moisture transferred from the aerosol to the tubular portion, which has been found to improve the feel of the aerosol in the user's mouth. The high air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 also means that air entering the portion of the body of material 4 surrounding the tubular portion can pass through the wall of the hollow tubular element 8 into the aerosol stream without having to cut air holes through all of the outer plug wrap(s) and tipping paper, the body of material 4, and the tubular element forming the tubular portion, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.

[0031] In some examples, the sheet material 14 may be provided with cut-out portions, e.g. punched areas, to reduce the density of the body of material 4. In some examples, the cut-out portions may be provided in the portion of the sheet material that forms the portion of the body of material 4 that surrounds the hollow tubular element 8. Suitably, by providing cut-out portions in the sheet material 14 that forms this portion of the body, the amount of material that is perforated to provide ventilation within the hollow tubular element 8 may be reduced.

[0032] In some embodiments, the air permeability of the material of the wall of the hollow tubular element 8 is provided by perforations formed in said material. In some examples, the material is a non-porous paper and the air permeability is provided by perforations formed in the material. In other examples, the material is a porous paper, which may or may not include perforations. If perforations are provided, they may be provided, for example, as one or more perforation lines extending through the wall of the hollow tubular element. The perforations may be provided as bands or rings of perforations through the wall of the hollow tubular element. In this case, the perforations may be provided towards the upstream end of the hollow tubular element, for example, at a position from about 8 mm to about 2 mm, or from about 5 mm to about 2 mm from the upstream end of the hollow tubular element.

[0033] The capsule 15 may include a breakable capsule, for example a capsule having a solid frangible shell surrounding a liquid payload. In this example, a single capsule 15 is used. The capsule 15 is fully embedded within the body of material 4. In other words, the capsule 15 is fully surrounded by the material forming the body 4. In other examples, multiple breakable capsules, for example two, three or more breakable capsules, may be disposed within the body of material 4. The length of the body of material 4 may be increased to accommodate the number of capsules required. In examples where multiple capsules are used, the individual capsules may be identical to one another or may differ from one another in terms of size and / or capsule payload.

[0034] Capsule 15 has a core-shell structure. In other words, capsule 15 includes a shell that encapsulates a liquid agent, for example a flavorant or other agent, which may be any of the flavorants or aerosol modifiers described herein. The capsule shell can be broken by a user to release the flavorant or other agent into the body of material 4. First plug wrap 7 can include a barrier coating to render the plug wrap material substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of capsule 15.

[0035] In this example, capsule 15 is spherical and has a diameter of about 3 mm. In other examples, other shapes and sizes of capsules can be used. For example, the capsule can have a diameter of less than 4 mm, or less than 3.5 mm, or less than 3.25 mm. In alternative embodiments, the capsule may have a diameter of more than about 3.25 mm, such as more than 3.5 mm, or more than 4 mm. The total weight of capsule 15 may range from about 10 mg to about 50 mg.

[0036] In this example, the capsule 15 is positioned within the body of material 4 at a location downstream of the hollow tubular element 8. In this example, the capsule 15 is positioned such that its centre is 5 mm from the proximal end of the hollow tubular element 8. Alternatively, the capsule may be positioned such that the hollow tubular element 8 and the capsule 15 are separated by a gap of 1 mm to 30 mm, or 1.5 mm to 20 mm, or 2 mm to 15 mm, or 3 mm to 10 mm. In this example, the centre of the capsule is positioned 12 mm from the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece. Providing the capsule in this location improves the volatility of the capsule contents due to the capsule's proximity to the aerosol generating section of the article which is heated during use, whilst being sufficiently removed from the aerosol generating section which is inserted into the aerosol delivery system during use to allow the user to easily access the capsule and burst it with their fingers.

[0037] Preferably, the mouthpiece 2' is configured such that the capsule 15 and the vent 12 are longitudinally offset from one another within the mouthpiece 2'.

[0038] The body of material 4 may be manufactured using a Decoufle™ CU-20 filter making machine, however, one skilled in the art will recognize that other machines may be used to manufacture the first body of material 4.

[0039] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a width of at least 60 mm, preferably at least 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 or 120 mm.

[0040] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a width of at most 240 mm, preferably at most 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, 170, 160 or 150 mm.

[0041] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a width of less than 180 mm, preferably less than 170, 160, 150, 140 or 130 mm.

[0042] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a width in the range of 60-240 mm, preferably in the range of 80-240 mm, in the range of 90-200 mm, or in the range of 100-170 mm.

[0043] In this example, the sheet material 14 comprises cellulose. In this example, the sheet material 14 is paper. However, the sheet material 14 may additionally or alternatively comprise different materials. For example, in some embodiments, the sheet material 14 comprises reconstituted tobacco formed into a sheet material 14 configured to form a body of material 4. The reconstituted tobacco comprises cellulose. The reconstituted tobacco may optionally be a paper reconstituted tobacco. In other embodiments, the sheet material 14 comprises different materials, such as cotton; tobacco; lyocell; polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(1-4 butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, aliphatic polyester materials, polysaccharide polymers, and / or woven or nonwoven materials. The sheet material 14 may be biodegradable. In one embodiment, the sheet material 14 may be non-plastic or plastic. In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 does not include cellulose acetate.

[0044] The tubular elements 8, 11 and body of material 4 described herein are capable of achieving greater than 50% biodegradability in 30 days when exposed to either fresh water or salt water.

[0045] In one embodiment, the sheet material 14 comprises paper having a basis weight in the range of 15 to 80 gsm, preferably in the range of 20 to 50 gsm.

[0046] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a basis weight of at least 15 gsm, preferably at least 20 gsm, 25 gsm, 30 gsm, 35 gsm, 40 gsm, 45 gsm, 50 gsm, 55 gsm or 60 gsm.

[0047] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a basis weight of 100 gsm or less, preferably 90 gsm or less, 80 gsm or less, 70 gsm or less, 60 gsm or less, 50 gsm or less, or 40 gsm or less, or 30 gsm or less. In some embodiments, the basis weight of the sheet material 14 is 20 gsm or less.

[0048] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 has a basis weight in the range of 20 to 100 gsm, preferably in the range of 25 to 80 gsm or in the range of 30 to 65 gsm.

[0049] In this example, the sheet material 14 is crimped before being configured into the body of material 4. For example, the sheet material 14 may be passed through a pair of crimping rollers. In this example, the first body of material 4 includes a crimped sheet material 14 formed with a crimp pattern that includes a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves. Crimping can make it easier to bring the sheet material 14 together to form the body of material 4. Crimping can also increase the length of the sheet material 14 that can be used to form a particular volume of the body of material 4. Increasing the amount of sheet material 14 in the body of material 4 can increase the surface area of ​​the sheet material in contact with an aerosol passing through the body of material 4, and therefore increase the amount of moisture absorbed from the aerosol by the sheet material 14.

[0050] It may be desirable to form different portions of the body of material 4 from different amounts of sheet material, which can be achieved by applying different levels of crimping to the sheet material 14 from which the portions are formed. For example, it may be desirable to form the longitudinal ends of the body 4 from longer lengths of sheet material, so that the sheet material is more densely arranged and the longitudinal end portions of the body 4 appear more similar to a conventional filter element to the consumer when viewed from the longitudinal ends, and additionally or alternatively have a higher stiffness. It may therefore be advantageous to apply a greater amount of crimping to the sheet material 14 forming the longitudinal end portions of the body than to the longitudinal central portion of the body. Similarly, it may be advantageous to form a portion of the body 4 from a shorter length of sheet material, in which case a less densely packed arrangement of the sheet material is desired. For example, if an object is to be embedded in the body 4, it may be desirable to apply less crimping to the sheet material 14 forming the longitudinal portions of the body in which the object is embedded, in order to make the sheet material 14 around the embedded object less dense. Such a configuration can advantageously prevent longitudinal portions of the body from having undesirably high pressure drops.

[0051] The level of crimping applied to a sheet material can contribute to the hardness of a body formed from said sheet material. Suitably, the hardness of a body of material can be varied along its length by varying the crimp factor applied to the sheet material 14 from which it is formed. For example, a portion of a body of material formed from a sheet material having a higher level of crimping can have a hardness of approximately 88%-92%. A portion of the body of material having a hardness of 88%-92% can be suitably formed at the distal end of the body to improve the appearance of the body when viewed from the distal end of the body as well as to improve the stability of the longitudinal end portions of the component. Similarly, other portions of the body can be formed from a sheet material having a lower level of crimping and a hardness of at least 80%.

[0052] In this example, the average spacing between adjacent ridges of sheet material 14 is greater than about 0.3 mm. Additionally, in this example, the crimp amplitude is less than about 0.7 mm.

[0053] Crimp amplitude (also known as "crimp factor") refers to the depth of the grooves that the crimp creates in the sheet material 14 forming the body. That is, as shown in FIG. 1B, crimping the sheet material 14 creates a plurality of peaks and valleys in the sheet material 14 when viewed from a first side of the sheet material 14, and the crimp amplitude "A" is the depth of the valleys measured from the peaks. The crimping can form a "zigzag" form or another shape. In some examples, adjacent grooves in the crimped sheet material 14 are spaced apart by a distance in the range of 0.3 to 2 mm, preferably in the range of 0.4 to 1 mm, or have a pitch "P". In some embodiments, adjacent grooves in the crimped sheet material are spaced apart by a distance in the range of 0.1 to 3 mm, preferably in the range of 0.2 to 2 mm. In some embodiments, adjacent grooves of the crimped sheet material 10 are spaced apart by a distance of at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 or 3 mm. In some embodiments, adjacent grooves of the crimped sheet material are spaced apart by a distance of at most 3 mm, preferably at most 2.5, 2, 1, 1.5, 0.7, 0.5, 0.2 or 0.1 mm.

[0054] For example, the sheet material 14 may have crimps with a crimp amplitude of less than 500 μm and spacing between peaks (or valleys) of at least 300 μm, at least 400 μm, or at least 500 μm.

[0055] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 is heated as it is crimped. For example, the sheet material 14 may be passed between crimping rollers, one or both of which are heated. For example, one or both of the rollers may be heated to a temperature of up to 100 degrees Celsius, such as 50 degrees Celsius or 60 degrees Celsius. The amount of pressure applied to the sheet material passing between the rollers may also vary, for example, between X and Y. Heating the roller(s) or applying a higher level of pressure to the sheet material can result in a higher level of crimping.

[0056] Advantageously, sheet materials 14, e.g., papers, having the above crimp pitches and / or amplitudes have been found to exhibit improved performance when used in components of aerosol delivery systems. In particular, these relatively low levels of crimp pitch and amplitude surprisingly result in a body or portion of a body of material having a lower pressure drop compared to a body or portion of a body formed from sheet materials 14 having higher levels of crimping.

[0057] In any of these examples, the average density of the body of material is about 0.1 to about 0.25 mg / mm 3 The density of the body of material can be measured by separating said body from the article and surrounding plug wrap and / or tipping paper, removing any embedded objects, but including any additives added to sheet material 14. The density can be calculated as a bulk density based on the weight of sheet material 14 and any additives added to sheet material 14, and the total volume occupied by sheet material 14. For example, the total volume of body of material 4 measured inside plug wrap 7.

[0058] In this example, the density of the body of material 4 is about 0.19 mg / mm 3 In some embodiments, the body 4 has a molecular weight of at least 0.1 mg / mm3, 0.12 mg / mm3, or 0.15 mg / mm3. 3Alternatively or additionally, the body of material 4 has a density of about 0.3 mg / mm 3 Less than 0.25 mg / mm 3 Less than or about 0.22 mg / mm 3 Preferably, the body of material has a density of less than about 0.15 mg / mm 3 ~about 0.25mg / mm 3 As noted above, different portions of the body of material 4 can have different densities depending on the level of crimping and gathering applied to the sheet material 14 forming the portions. These values ​​include any additives contained within the body of material 4. Prior to being crimped and formed into the body of material, the sheet material 14 can have a density of about 0.2 to 0.5 mg / mm 3 , for example about 0.25, 0.30 or 0.35 mg / mm 3 The density of the powder may be 0.01 to 0.01.

[0059] A given dimension of sheet material 14 refers to the size of the sheet material before it is crimped or gathered to form a body of material. The dimensions of sheet material 14 can be measured by stretching sheet material 14 to the point where no visible crimps remain.

[0060] In this example, a lower level of crimping is applied to the sheet material 14 forming the portion of the body of material 4 in which the tubular element 8 is embedded, and a higher level of crimping is applied to the sheet material 14 forming the distal end of the body 4.

[0061] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 is crimped to a crimp amplitude of at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, or 0.5 mm.

[0062] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 is crimped to a crimp amplitude of at most 1 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm, 0.6 mm, or 0.5 mm.

[0063] In some embodiments, the sheet material 14 includes at least one slit extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 4. The at least one slit is positioned such that when the sheet material 14 is assembled to the body 4, the slit allows the sheet material 14 to be gathered together on a first side (e.g., downstream side) of an object embedded within the body, such as the hollow tubular element 8, such that the slit forms an inner edge within the body 4 that at least partially defines a boundary of a space that contains the embedded object. For example, the sheet material 14 can include three slits, such that one slit is positioned at the downstream end of the hollow tubular element 8 and another slit is positioned on either side of the capsule 15.

[0064] The inner edge formed by the slits allows the sheet material 14 to be gathered together on one side of the embedded object to at least partially or completely define a boundary to prevent the object from migrating from the first end of the embedded space. This improves the positioning of the embedded object within the body 4. In addition, because the sheet material 14 is gathered together, it helps to hide the embedded object when viewed from the longitudinal end of the body 4, which can improve the aesthetics of the mouthpiece 2. Preferably, the slits achieve these benefits without the need for a separate component, such as a cellulose acetate plug, provided downstream of the embedded object or downstream of the body 4.

[0065] The article 1 has an aeration level of about 75% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In alternative embodiments, the article can have an aeration level of 20% to 80%, for example 65% to 75%, of the aerosol drawn through the article. Aeration at these levels helps to slow down the flow of aerosol drawn through the mouthpiece 2, thereby allowing the aerosol to cool sufficiently before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2. The ventilation is provided directly within the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1. In this example, the ventilation is provided within the tubular portion, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in aiding the aerosol generation process. The ventilation is provided via first and second parallel rows of ventilation holes 12, in this case formed as laser drillings, at positions 17.925 mm and 18.625 mm from the downstream mouth end 2b of the mouthpiece 2, respectively. In this example, these ventilation holes 12 penetrate the tipping paper 5, the plug wrap 7 and the hollow tubular element 8. In alternative embodiments, ventilation may be provided in other locations within the mouthpiece.

[0066] Alternatively, ventilation can be provided through a single row of vent holes, e.g., laser drilled holes, in the portion of the article where the tubular portion is located. This has been found to result in improved aerosol formation, believed to be due to the fact that for a given ventilation level, the airflow through the vent holes is more uniform than with multiple rows of vent holes.

[0067] It has been found that aerosol temperature generally increases with decreasing ventilation level. However, the relationship between aerosol temperature and ventilation level does not appear to be linear, e.g., there are variations in ventilation due to manufacturing tolerances, which have less impact at lower target ventilation levels. For example, with a ventilation tolerance of ±15%, if the target ventilation level is 75%, the aerosol temperature may increase by approximately 6°C at the lower ventilation limit (60% ventilation). However, at a target ventilation level of 60%, the aerosol temperature may increase only approximately 3.5°C at the lower ventilation limit (45% ventilation). Thus, the target ventilation level of the article may be in the range of 40% to 70%, e.g., 45% to 65%. The average ventilation level of at least 20 articles may be 40% to 70%, e.g., 45% to 70% or 51% to 59%.

[0068] In some examples, the aerosol-generating material 3 described herein may be a first aerosol-generating material, and the hollow tubular element 8 may include a second aerosol-generating material. In one example, the inner wall of the tubular element 8 includes the second aerosol-generating material. For example, the second aerosol-generating material may be disposed on the inner surface of the hollow tubular element 8.

[0069] The second aerosol-generating material includes at least one aerosol-forming material and may also include at least one aerosol modifier or other sensing material. The aerosol-forming material and / or aerosol modifier may be any aerosol-forming material or aerosol modifier as described herein, or a combination thereof.

[0070] As the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material 3, referred to herein as the first aerosol, is drawn through the hollow tubular element 8 of the mouthpiece, heat from the first aerosol can aerosolize the aerosol-forming material of the second aerosol-generating material to form a second aerosol. The second aerosol may include flavorings that may be additional or complementary to the flavoring of the first aerosol.

[0071] By providing a second aerosol-forming material on the tubular element 8, a second aerosol can be produced which enhances or complements the flavor or visual appearance of the first aerosol.

[0072] In this example, the article 1 has a circumference of about 21 mm (i.e., the article is in a demi-slim format). Preferably, the article 1 has a rod of aerosol-generating material with a circumference greater than 19 mm. This has been found to provide a sufficient circumference to generate improved sustained aerosol over a typical aerosol generating session preferred by consumers. When the article is heated, heat is transferred through the rod of aerosol-generating material 3 to volatilize the rod's components, and a circumference greater than 19 mm has been found to be particularly effective in generating aerosol in this manner. Because the article will be heated to release the aerosol, improved heating efficiency can be achieved using an article with a circumference less than about 23 mm. To achieve improved aerosol upon heating, a rod circumference greater than 19 mm and less than 23 mm is preferred, while maintaining an adequate product length. In some examples, the rod circumference can be between 20 mm and 22 mm, which has been found to provide a good balance between providing effective aerosol delivery while allowing efficient heating.

[0073] The circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially the same as the circumference of the rod of aerosol-generating material 3 so that there is a smooth transition between these components. In this example, the circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is about 20.8 mm.

[0074] In some examples, the tipping paper 5 includes a citrate, such as sodium citrate or potassium citrate. In such examples, the tipping paper 5 can have a citrate content of 2% by weight or less, or 1% by weight or less. It is believed that reducing the citrate content of the tipping paper 5 helps reduce the charring effect that may occur during use.

[0075] In this example, the tipping paper 5 extends 5 mm over the rod of aerosol-generating material 3, but alternatively it may extend 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm, over the rod 3 to provide a secure attachment between the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. The tipping paper 5 may have a basis weight higher than that of the plug wrap used in the article 1, for example 40 gsm to 80 gsm, more preferably 50 gsm to 70 gsm, in this example 58 gsm. These ranges of basis weight have been found to result in a tipping paper with acceptable tensile strength whilst being flexible enough to encase the article 1 and adhere to itself along the longitudinal lap seam of the paper. The circumference of the tipping paper 5, when wrapped around the mouthpiece 2, is approximately 21 mm.

[0076] In some embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 40 gsm. However, it should be appreciated that the basis weight of the first plug wrap 7 may be higher to increase the hardness of the mouthpiece. For example, the basis weight of the first plug wrap 7 may be at least 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 gsm. In some embodiments, the basis weight of the first plug wrap 7 is within the range of 50 to 110 gsm, or within the range of 60 to 100 gsm.

[0077] In some embodiments, the first plugwrap 7 has a basis weight of at least 20 gsm or at least 30 gsm.

[0078] In some embodiments, the first plugwrap 7 has a basis weight of at most 120, 110 or 100 gsm.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first plugwrap 7 has a basis weight in the range of 20 to 120 gsm, preferably in the range of 30 to 100 gsm.

[0080] Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. However, it should be appreciated that the thickness weight of the first plug wrap 7 may be greater to increase the hardness of the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, for example, the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 may be at least 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 microns. In some embodiments, the thickness of the first plug wrap 7 is in the range of 40 to 120 microns, or in the range of 50 to 100 microns.

[0081] Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 is a non-porous plug wrap, for example having an air permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 may be a porous plug wrap, for example having an air permeability of more than 200 Coresta units.

[0082] The pressure drop or pressure difference (also called resistance to draw) across the mouthpiece, e.g., the portion of the article 1 downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3, is preferably less than about 40 mmH2O. Such a pressure drop has been found to allow sufficient aerosol, including desirable compounds such as flavoring compounds, to pass through the mouthpiece 2 and reach the consumer. More preferably, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 is less than about 20 mmH2O. In some embodiments, particularly improved aerosols have been achieved using a mouthpiece 2 having a pressure drop of less than 15 mmH2O, e.g., about 6 mmH2O, about 10 mmH2O or about 14 mmH2O. Alternatively or additionally, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece may be at least 3 mmH2O, preferably at least 4 mmH2O, more preferably at least 5 mmH2O. In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece may be between about 5 mmH2O and 20 mmH2O, preferably between 5 mmH2O and 15 mmH2O. These values ​​allow the mouthpiece 2 to slow down the aerosol as it passes through the mouthpiece 2 so that the temperature of the aerosol has time to drop before reaching the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2.

[0083] In this example, the aerosol-generating material 3 is wrapped in a wrapping material 10. The wrapping material 10 can be, for example, a paper or paper-backed foil wrapping material. In this example, the wrapping material 10 is substantially impermeable to air. In an alternative embodiment, the wrapping material 10 has an air permeability of preferably less than 100 Coresta units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta units. It has been found that low air permeability wrapping materials, for example having an air permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, more preferably less than 60 Coresta units, result in improved aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating material 3. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapping material 10. The air permeability of the wrapping material 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 for determining the air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wrap and filter bonding paper.

[0084] In this embodiment, the packaging material 10 comprises an aluminum foil. Aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in promoting the formation of an aerosol within the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer of about 6 μm thickness. In this example, the aluminum foil has a paper backing. However, in alternative configurations, the aluminum foil may be of other thicknesses, for example 4 μm to 16 μm thick. The aluminum foil also need not have a paper backing, but can have a backing formed from other materials, for example to help provide the foil with suitable tensile strength, or can have no backing. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum can also be used. The total thickness of the packaging material is preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 30 μm to 50 μm, which can provide the packaging material with suitable structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tension that can be applied to the wrapper before it breaks can be greater than 3,000 grams of force, such as between 3,000 and 10,000 grams of force, or between 3,000 and 4,500 grams of force.

[0085] In some examples, the wrapping material 10 surrounding the aerosol-generating material 3 has a high level of air permeability, for example, greater than about 1000 Coresta units, or greater than about 1500 Coresta units, or greater than about 2000 Coresta units. The air permeability of the wrapping material 10 can be measured in accordance with ISO 2965:2009 for determination of air permeability of materials used as cigarette papers, filter plug wraps and filter bonding papers.

[0086] The wrapper 10 may be formed from a material that has a high inherent level of air permeability, an inherently porous material, or may be formed from a material with any level of inherent air permeability where the final level of air permeability is achieved by providing breathable zones or areas in the wrapper 10. Providing a breathable wrapper 10 provides a path for air to enter the article. The wrapper 10 may be provided with breathability such that the amount of air entering through the rod of aerosol-generating material is relatively greater than the amount of air entering the article through the air holes 12 in the mouthpiece. Articles having this configuration may produce a more flavorful aerosol that may be more satisfying to the user.

[0087] In this example, the aerosol-forming material added to the aerosol-generating substrate 3 constitutes 14% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Preferably, the aerosol-forming material constitutes at least 5% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably at least 10%. Preferably, the aerosol-forming material constitutes less than 25% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably less than 20%, for example 10%-20%, 12%-18% or 13%-16%.

[0088] Preferably, the aerosol-generating material 3 is provided as a cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating material. Regardless of the form of the aerosol-generating material, the aerosol-generating material preferably has a length of about 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol-generating material is preferably in the range of about 25 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 45 mm, and even more preferably about 30 mm to 40 mm.

[0089] In some examples, the article 1 may be configured such that there is a separation (i.e., a minimum distance) between the heater and the hollow tubular element 8 of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100. This prevents heat from the heater from damaging the material forming the hollow tubular element 8.

[0090] The minimum distance between the heater and the hollow tubular element 8 of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 can be 3 mm or more. In some examples, the minimum distance between the heater and the hollow tubular element 8 of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 can be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, such as 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

[0091] The separation between the heater and the hollow tubular element 8 of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 may be achieved, for example, by adjusting the length of the rod of aerosol-generating material 3.

[0092] The volume of the aerosol-generating material 3 provided is approximately 200 mm 3 ~ approx. 4300mm 3 , preferably about 500 mm 3 ~1500mm 3 , more preferably about 1000 mm 3 ~ approx. 1300mm 3 For example, the distance can vary by approximately 1000 mm. 3 ~ approx. 1300mm 3 Providing these volumes of aerosol-generating material has been shown to advantageously achieve superior aerosols with greater visibility and sensory performance than those achieved with volumes selected from the lower end of the range.

[0093] The mass of the aerosol-forming material 3 provided may be greater than 200 mg, for example between about 200 mg and 400 mg, preferably between about 230 mg and 360 mg, more preferably between about 250 mg and 360 mg. Suitably, providing a higher mass of aerosol-forming material has been found to result in improved sensory performance compared to aerosols generated from lower masses of tobacco material.

[0094] Preferably, the aerosol-forming material or substrate is formed from a tobacco material as described herein, including a tobacco component.

[0095] In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco component preferably comprises reconstituted tobacco. The tobacco component may also comprise leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and / or band-cast tobacco.

[0096] The aerosol-generating material 3 may include a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 700 milligrams per cubic centimeter (mg / cc). Such tobacco materials have been found to be particularly effective in providing an aerosol-generating material that can be heated quickly to release an aerosol, as compared to materials with higher densities. For example, the inventors have tested the properties of various aerosol-generating materials, such as band-cast reconstituted tobacco materials and paper reconstituted tobacco materials, when heated. It has been found that for each given aerosol-generating material, there is a specific zero heat flow temperature below which, while heat is being applied to the material, the net heat flow is endothermic, in other words, more heat enters the material than leaves the material, and above which, the net heat flow is exothermic, in other words, more heat leaves the material than enters the material. Materials with densities less than 700 mg / cc had lower zero heat flow temperatures. Having a lower zero heat flow temperature has a beneficial effect on the time it takes to initially release an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material, since the majority of the heat flow leaving the material is due to the formation of an aerosol. For example, aerosol-generating materials having a density less than 700 mg / cc have been found to have a zero heat flow temperature less than 164°C, compared to materials having a density greater than 700 mg / cc, which have a zero heat flow temperature greater than 164°C.

[0097] The density of the aerosol-generating material also affects the rate at which heat is conducted through the material, with lower densities, for example densities less than 700 mg / cc, conducting heat more slowly through the material and thus allowing for a more sustained release of the aerosol.

[0098] Preferably, the aerosol-forming material 3 comprises a reconstituted tobacco material, such as a paper reconstituted tobacco material, having a density of less than about 700 mg / cc. More preferably, the aerosol-forming material 3 comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 600 mg / cc. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-forming material 3 preferably comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc, which is believed to allow for a sufficient amount of heat transfer through the material.

[0099] The tobacco material may be provided in the form of cut rag tobacco. The cut rag tobacco may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts / inch (about 5.9 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 1.7 mm). Preferably, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of at least 18 cuts / inch (about 7.1 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 1.4 mm), more preferably at least 20 cuts / inch (about 7.9 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 1.27 mm). In one example, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of 22 cuts / inch (about 8.7 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 1.15 mm). Preferably, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of no more than 40 cuts / inch (about 15.7 cuts / cm, which corresponds to a cut width of about 0.64 mm). Cut widths between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm, for example between 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm, or between 0.6 mm and 1.7 mm, have been found to result in tobacco material that is favorable in terms of surface area to volume ratio, particularly when heated, and overall density and pressure drop of the substrate 3. The cut rag tobacco may be formed from a mixture of tobacco material forms, such as a mixture of one or more of paper reconstituted tobacco, leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and band cast tobacco. Preferably, the tobacco material comprises paper reconstituted tobacco, or a mixture of paper reconstituted tobacco and leaf tobacco.

[0100] In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco material may contain a filler component. The filler component is generally a non-tobacco component, i.e. a component that does not contain any components derived from tobacco. The filler component may be a non-tobacco fiber, such as wood fiber or pulp or wheat fiber. The filler component may also be an inorganic material, such as chalk, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, etc. The filler component may also be a non-tobacco cast material or a non-tobacco extrusion material. The filler component may be present in an amount of 0-20% by weight of the tobacco material, or in an amount of 1-10% by weight of the composition. In some embodiments, no filler component is present.

[0101] In the tobacco material described herein, the tobacco material contains an aerosol-forming material. In this context, an "aerosol-forming material" is an agent that promotes the generation of an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material can promote the generation of an aerosol by promoting the initial vaporization and / or condensation of a gas into an inhalable solid and / or liquid aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material can improve the delivery of flavorants from the aerosol-forming material. Generally, any suitable aerosol-forming material or agent, including those described herein, may be included in the aerosol-forming material of the present invention. Other suitable aerosol-forming materials include, but are not limited to, polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol, monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, myristates including triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, or ethyl and isopropyl myristates, and non-polyols such as aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol may be present in an amount of 10-20% by weight of the tobacco material, such as 13-16% by weight of the composition, or about 14% or 15% by weight of the composition. Propylene glycol, if present, may be present in an amount of 0.1-0.3% by weight of the composition.

[0102] The aerosol-forming material may be included in any component of the tobacco material, such as any tobacco component and / or the filler component, if present. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming material may be added separately to the tobacco material. In either case, the total amount of aerosol-forming material in the tobacco material may be as defined herein.

[0103] The tobacco material may contain 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaf, with the aerosol-forming material being provided in an amount of up to about 10% by weight of the tobacco leaf. It has been found that this may suitably be added at a higher weight percentage relative to another component of the tobacco material, such as a reconstituted tobacco material, to achieve an overall level of 10% to 20% aerosol-forming material by weight of the tobacco material.

[0104] The tobacco material described herein contains nicotine. The nicotine content may be 0.5-1.75% by weight of the tobacco material, for example 0.8-1.5% by weight of the tobacco material. Additionally or alternatively, the tobacco material contains 10%-90% by weight of tobacco leaf having a nicotine content of more than 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaf. Suitably, it has been found that the use of tobacco leaf having a nicotine content higher than 1.5% in combination with a lower nicotine-based material, such as paper reconstituted tobacco, provides a tobacco material with a suitable nicotine level but superior sensory performance than the use of paper reconstituted tobacco alone. Tobacco leaf, for example cut rag tobacco, may have a nicotine content of, for example, 1.5%-5% by weight of the tobacco leaf.

[0105] The tobacco material described herein may contain an aerosol modifier, such as any of the flavourings described herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains menthol to form a menthol-containing article. The tobacco material may contain 3 mg to 20 mg of menthol, preferably 5 mg to 18 mg, more preferably 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol. In this example, the tobacco material comprises 16 mg of menthol. The tobacco material may contain 2% to 8% by weight of menthol, preferably 3% to 7% by weight of menthol, more preferably 4% to 5.5% by weight of menthol. In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises 4.7% by weight of menthol. Such high levels of menthol loading may be achieved using a high proportion of reconstituted tobacco material, for example greater than 50% by weight of the tobacco material. Alternatively or additionally, the use of a large amount of aerosol-forming material, for example tobacco material, may increase the menthol loading level that may be achieved when more than about 500 mm3 or suitably more than about 1000 mm3 of aerosol-forming material, such as tobacco material, is used.

[0106] In the compositions described herein, when amounts are given in weight %, for the avoidance of doubt, this refers to a dry weight basis, unless specifically indicated to the contrary. Thus, any water that may be present in the tobacco material or any of its components is completely ignored for purposes of determining the weight %. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, for example, be between 5 and 15% by weight. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, for example, according to the temperature, pressure and humidity conditions in which the composition is maintained. The moisture content may be determined by Karl Fischer analysis, as known to those skilled in the art. However, for the avoidance of doubt, any component other than water is included in the weight of the tobacco material, even if the aerosol-forming material is a component of a liquid phase, such as glycerol or propylene glycol. However, when an aerosol-forming material is provided in the tobacco component of the tobacco material or in the filler component of the tobacco material (if present), instead of or in addition to being added separately to the tobacco material, the aerosol-forming material is not included in the weight of the tobacco component or filler component, but is included in the weight of the "aerosol-forming material" in weight % as defined herein. All other components present in the tobacco component are included in the weight of the tobacco component, even if they are of non-tobacco origin (eg, non-tobacco fibers in the case of reconstituted tobacco).

[0107] In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material consists essentially of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material consists of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein.

[0108] The paper reconstituted tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material described herein in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight of the tobacco component. In an embodiment, the paper reconstituted tobacco is present in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, or 20% to 70% by weight of the tobacco component. In a further embodiment, the tobacco component consists essentially of paper reconstituted tobacco or consists of paper reconstituted tobacco. In a preferred embodiment, the leaf tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component. For example, the leaf tobacco can be present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component, with the remainder of the tobacco component comprising paper reconstituted tobacco, band cast reconstituted tobacco, or a combination of tobacco in another form, such as band cast reconstituted tobacco and tobacco granules.

[0109] Paper reconstituted tobacco refers to tobacco material formed by a process of extracting tobacco feedstock with a solvent to obtain an extract of the solubles and a residue containing fibrous material, and then recombining the extract (usually after concentration, and optionally after further processing) with fibrous material from the residue (usually after purifying the fibrous material, and optionally with the addition of a portion of non-tobacco fiber) by deposition of the extract onto the fibrous material. The recombination process is similar to that of making paper.

[0110] The paper reconstituted tobacco may be any type of paper reconstituted tobacco known in the art. In certain embodiments, the paper reconstituted tobacco is made from a raw material that includes one or more of tobacco strip, tobacco stem, and whole leaf tobacco. In further embodiments, the paper reconstituted tobacco is made from a feedstock that consists of tobacco strip and / or whole leaf tobacco, and tobacco stem. However, in other embodiments, scrap, fines, and culls can be alternatively or additionally employed in the feedstock.

[0111] Paper reconstituted tobacco for use in the tobacco materials described herein can be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for preparing paper reconstituted tobacco.

[0112] 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1' for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Article 1' comprises a mouthpiece 2' that is substantially similar to mouthpiece 2, except that body of material 4 is replaced by a body of material 4' additionally comprising a second tubular element 11 at the downstream end of body 4'. Second tubular element 11 extends to the mouth end of body of material 4'.

[0113] In this example, the hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11 are separated by a gap of 10 mm. Alternatively, the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11 are separated by other distances, for example a gap of 5 mm to 15 mm, or 6 mm to 12 mm, or about 6 mm, about 7 mm, about 8 mm, or about 9 mm. The body of material 4' extends within and across the gap. In this example, the capsule 15 is embedded in the body of material 4' in the gap between the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11.

[0114] In this example, the sheet material 14 forming the body 4' includes two slits positioned at the downstream and upstream ends, respectively, of the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11. The slits are positioned such that when the sheet material 14 is assembled into the body 4', the slits release the sheet material 14 between the slits to extend into the gap between the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11. Additionally or alternatively, the sheet material 14 may include a slit or slits positioned on either side of the embedded capsules 15.

[0115] In this example, the first hollow tubular element 8 provides a cavity for aerosol cooling, as described above.

[0116] The second hollow tubular element 11 is embedded in the body of material 4' at its downstream end and extends to the longitudinal end of the body 4'. Providing the tubular element in this position has been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2', preferably at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece which is in contact with the consumer's mouth when the article 1' is in use. In addition, the use of the tubular portion has also been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2', even upstream of the tubular portion. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to the tubular portion directing the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2', thus reducing the heat transfer from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2'. In addition, the body of material 4' filling the gap between the first tubular element 4a' and the second hollow tubular element 11 has been found to remove moisture from the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 as the aerosol passes through the body of material 4' of the mouthpiece 2, which makes the aerosol feel cooler in the user's mouth.

[0117] The second hollow tubular element 11 preferably has an internal diameter larger than 3.0 mm. A smaller diameter may increase the velocity of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2''' and reaching the consumer's mouth more than desired, causing the aerosol to become too warm, for example reaching a temperature of more than 40°C or even more than 45°C. More preferably, the second hollow tubular element 11 has an internal diameter of more than 3.1 mm, even more preferably more than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the internal diameter of the second hollow tubular element 11 is about 3.9 mm.

[0118] By forming a mouthpiece including a body of material 4' with a first hollow tubular element 8 and a second hollow tubular element 11 embedded at opposite ends of the body of material 4', a mouthpiece is preferably obtained having a concave mouth end and a cavity for aerosol cooling at the upstream end of the mouthpiece surrounded by a thinner plug wrap thickness than would normally be required for such a construction, since both cavities are provided by the tubular elements embedded in the same body of material, eliminating the need for separate plug wraps and combination wraps for the different components. Not only does the reduction in the number of components simplify the manufacture of the mouthpiece, but it may be easier to form vent openings in the body of material 4' at the desired locations due to the thinner plug wrap thickness to pierce. A body of material 4' including both a first hollow tubular element 8 and a second hollow tubular element 11 and a capsule 15 embedded in the body of material 4' between the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11 preferably results in a component having the advantage of simplified manufacture, as described in connection with FIG. 1 and described above.

[0119] In this example, the second hollow tubular element 11 has a larger wall thickness than the first hollow tubular element 8 and is shorter than the first hollow tubular element 8, such that the cavity at the mouthpiece end 2b provided by the second tubular element 11 is smaller than the cavity formed by the first tubular element 8. In other examples, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular element 8 may be larger than the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 11. Advantageously, by selecting different wall thicknesses, inner diameters and / or lengths for each of the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11, it is possible to optimize the cavities provided at both ends of the body of material 4' for aerosol cooling and / or for directing the aerosol through the mouthpiece, as desired based on their position in the mouthpiece.

[0120] Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is less than about 10 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is about 5 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably about 6 mm to about 10 mm, and even more preferably about 6 mm to about 8 mm, and most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, or about 8 mm. In this example, the length of the second hollow tubular element 11 is 7 mm.

[0121] In this example, the first hollow tubular element 8 and the second hollow tubular element 11 each have the same outer diameter and are surrounded by a body of material 4' of the same thickness.

[0122] As mentioned above, different levels of crimping can be applied to the sheet material 14 forming different portions of the body of material 4'. In this example, a higher level of crimping is applied to the sheet material forming the mouth end portion of the body 4' in which the second hollow tubular element 11 is embedded, compared to the level of crimping applied to the sheet material 14 forming the portion of the body 4' in which the first hollow tubular element 8 and capsule 15 are embedded. Advantageously, applying a higher level of crimping to the sheet material 14 around the second hollow tubular element 11 can result in a more desirable stiffness at the mouth end 2b of the mouthpiece and an improved appearance when viewed from the mouth end of the mouthpiece.

[0123] The plug wrap 7 and / or tipping paper 5 may include a barrier coating to render the plug wrap and / or tipping paper material substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 15.

[0124] 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1'' for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. The article 1'' comprises a mouthpiece 2'' that includes a body of material 4''. The body of material 4'' is substantially similar to the body of material 4', except that the body of material 4'' does not include a first hollow tubular element 8 upstream of the capsule 15. Instead, in this example, a cooling section 13 is provided upstream of the body of material 4'' to provide a cavity for aerosol cooling.

[0125] In this example, the body of material 4'' extends about 3.5 mm upstream of the capsule 15. Alternatively, the body of material 4'' may extend about 1 mm upstream of the capsule 15, or about 2 mm, about 3 mm, about 5 mm, about 6 mm, about 7 mm, about 8 mm or about 10 mm upstream of the capsule 15.

[0126] In this example, the capsule 15 is spaced from the second hollow tubular element 11 at the mouth end by a gap of about 4.5 mm. Alternatively, the capsule 15 may be spaced from the second hollow tubular element 11 by a gap of 0.5 mm to 30 mm, or 1 mm to 20 mm, or 1.5 mm to 15 mm, or 2 mm to 10 mm. For example, the capsule 15 may be spaced from the second hollow tubular element 11 by a gap of about 3 mm, about 4 mm, about 5 mm, about 6 mm, about 7 mm, or about 8 mm. The separation of the capsule 15 from the second hollow tubular element 11 may be selected to balance the desired length and pressure drop of the components with providing an appropriate volume of material within the body of material 4'' to absorb the liquid charge of the capsule 15 and support the position of the capsule 15. Advantageously, providing the capsule spaced from the second hollow tubular element 11 by a gap of the size described herein allows the capsule to be hidden from view when the body of material 4'' is viewed from the mouth end.

[0127] As described in relation to FIG. 2, various levels of crimping can be applied to the sheet material 14 forming the body of material 4″. In this example, a higher level of crimping is applied to the sheet material forming the section of the body of material 4″ at the mouth end. The body of material 4″ can have a higher density in a portion closer to the downstream end of the body of material 4″ than a portion closer to the upstream end. For example, a portion of the body of material 4″ within 3 mm of a longitudinal end of the body 4″ can have a higher density than a portion upstream of this 3 mm portion. A portion of the body having a higher level of crimping and formed from a sheet material having a higher density than another portion of the body can have a more attractive appearance to consumers. Preferably, such a section can be provided at the longitudinal end of the body 4″ to give the body 4″ an appearance from the longitudinal end that is attractive to consumers, while the upstream portion of the component can have a lower density to limit the amount of sheet material 14 required to form the body of material 4″ and prevent the body 4″ from having an undesirably high pressure drop. The density of a particular section of body 4'' can be measured by separating said portion from the remainder of the body and the surrounding plug wrap and / or tipping paper (e.g., by cutting the body) and removing any embedded objects, but including any additives that were added to sheet material 14.

[0128] In this example, the cooling section 13 defines a void within the mouthpiece that acts as a cooling segment, as described with respect to the hollow tubular element 8. The void provides a chamber through which the heated volatile components generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 flow. The cooling section 13 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and while the article 1 is in use. The cooling section 13 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating material 3 and a downstream portion of the mouthpiece 2.

[0129] Preferably, the internal volume of the cooling section 13 is 130 mm3 More preferably, the mouthpiece 2'' is 170 mm or larger. Providing a cavity of at least this volume has been found to allow for improved aerosol formation. Such a cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to allow heated volatile components to cool, thus allowing the aerosol-generating material 3 to be exposed to higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible, which would result in an excessively warm aerosol. More preferably, the mouthpiece 2'' is 170 mm or larger. 3 Larger, even more preferably 200mm 3 The cavity has a larger internal volume, allowing for further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity is about 130 mm 3 ~about 700mm 3 , preferably about 160 mm 3 ~about 700mm 3 Includes volume.

[0130] The cavity can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the cavity and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the cavity. The cavity is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, preferably at least 80 degrees Celsius, and more preferably at least 100 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the cavity and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the cavity. This temperature difference over the length of the cavity can protect a temperature sensitive element of the mouthpiece downstream of the cavity from the high temperature of the aerosol generating material 3 when heated.

[0131] Preferably, the length of the cooling section 13 is less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the cooling section 13 is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the cooling section 13 is less than about 35 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the cooling section 13 is preferably at least about 10 mm. Preferably, the length of the cooling section 13 is at least about 15 mm.

[0132] In some preferred embodiments, the length of cooling section 13 is about 15 mm to about 35 mm, more preferably about 20 mm to about 30 mm, even more preferably about 23 mm to about 27 mm, and most preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of cooling section 13 is 25 mm.

[0133] In this example, the cooling section 13 is formed from multiple layers of paper wound in parallel with the seams butted together to form a hollow tube. In this example, the first and second layers of paper are provided in a two-ply tube, but in other examples, three, four or more layers of paper can be used to form a three, four or more ply tube. Other configurations can be used, such as spirally wound layers of paper, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a paper mache process, molded or extruded plastic tubes, etc.

[0134] In some embodiments, the cooling section 13 preferably has a wall thickness of at least about 50 μm up to about 1 mm, preferably 100 μm to 500 μm, more preferably 100 μm to 150 μm. In the present example, the wall thickness of the cooling section 13 is about 150 μm. The "wall thickness" of the tubular element corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tubular element in the radial direction, not including the surrounding material in which the tubular element is embedded. This can be measured, for example, using a caliper.

[0135] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the cooling section 13 is at least 50 microns, preferably at least 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, or 105 microns. In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the tubular elements is at least 100 or 110 microns.

[0136] In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the cooling section 13 is less than 1000 microns, preferably less than 500 microns.

[0137] In some embodiments, the air permeability of the wall material of the hollow tubular element 8 is at least 100 Coresta units, preferably at least 500 or 1000 Coresta units.

[0138] The relatively high air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 has been found to increase the amount of heat transferred from the aerosol to the tubular portion, thus reducing the temperature of the aerosol. The air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 has also been found to increase the amount of moisture transferred from the aerosol to the tubular portion, which has been found to improve the feel of the aerosol in the user's mouth. The high air permeability of the hollow tubular element 8 also means that air entering the portion of the body of material 4 surrounding the tubular portion can pass through the wall of the hollow tubular element 8 into the aerosol stream without having to cut air holes through all of the outer plug wrap(s) and tipping paper, the body of material 4, and the tubular element forming the tubular portion, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.

[0139] The cooling section 13 and the body of material 4 ″ are connected by a second plug wrap 9 .

[0140] According to this disclosure, "aerosol delivery system" includes both combustion and non-combustion aerosol delivery systems.

[0141] According to the present disclosure, a "combustion-based" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are combusted or burned during use to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0142] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo, and a cigar.

[0143] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to components for use in combustion aerosol delivery systems, for example, aerosol modifier-releasing components such as filters, filter rods, filter segments, tobacco rods, spills, capsules, threads or beads, or papers such as plug wrap, tipping paper or cigarette paper.

[0144] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not or are not combusted to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0145] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0146] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0147] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0148] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, where one or more of the aerosol-generating materials can be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials can be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and can contain nicotine or not. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material can include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0149] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0150] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include aerosol generating materials and are configured for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0151] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, e.g., the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, can include a power source and a controller. The power source can be, for example, an electrical power source or a heat generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that can be energized to deliver power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat generating power source.

[0152] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include an area for receiving a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0153] In some embodiments, consumables for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices may include aerosol generating materials, aerosol generating material storage areas, aerosol generating material transport components, aerosol generators, aerosol generating areas, housings, packaging materials, filters, mouthpieces, and / or aerosol modifiers.

[0154] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises an active agent.

[0155] An active substance as used herein may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. An active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychostimulants. An active substance may be naturally derived or synthetically obtained. An active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. An active substance may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant.

[0156] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0157] As described herein, the active material may comprise or be derived from one or more botanical materials, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof. As used herein, the term "botanical material" includes any material derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fiber, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, skins, etc. Alternatively, the material may comprise active compounds naturally occurring in synthetically obtained botanical materials. Examples of plants are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, liquorice (licorice), matcha, mato, orange skin, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, anise (anise), basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and lavender. The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties: peppermint, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant, kurhum, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiene, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, fennel, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, siacurin, maca, schwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties: peppermint, mentha, Egyptian mint, peppermint, cologne mint, candy mint, curly mint, Kentucky kernel mint, horse mint, pineapple mint, benny royal mint, green peppermint, and apple mint.

[0158] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof, and the botanical substance is tobacco.

[0159] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0160] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances, or components, derivatives or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0161] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a fragrance.

[0162] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that may be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste, odor, or other somatic sensation in products intended for adult consumers.They may be any naturally occurring flavoring material, botanical substance, extract of botanical substance, synthetically derived material, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, osmanthus leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, Tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey extract, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang Ylang jasmine, sage, fennel, wasabi, pimento, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay leaf, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento, mace, daphne, dandelion ... The additives may include other additives such as: mien, origanum, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, fennel, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol), and charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners.They may be mimic, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example a liquid such as an oil, a solid such as a powder, or a gas.

[0163] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0164] In some embodiments, the fragrance may include a sensory elicitor, which is intended to achieve somatic sensations that are usually chemically induced and recognized by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the aroma or taste nerves, and may include agents that produce a heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effect. A suitable heat effector may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

[0165] An aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when energized, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain actives and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that may hold some fluid therein, such as a liquid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid, up to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0166] The aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active agents and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0167] The aerosol-forming material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0168] The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0169] The material may be on or in a support to form a substrate. The support may be or include, for example, paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support includes a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or both sides of the material.

[0170] A consumable is an article that includes or consists of an aerosol-generating material, some or all of which are intended to be consumed during use by a user. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transport component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a packaging material, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. A consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol during use. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0171] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration by a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically conductive material, such that penetration of the electrically conductive material by the varying magnetic field causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, such that penetration of the magnetic material by the varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both electrically conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0172] An aerosol modifier is a substance configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example, by changing the taste, flavor, acidity, or another property of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided in an aerosol modifier-releasing component operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0173] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of a flavoring, a colorant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, a string, or granules. The aerosol modifier may not include a filtration material.

[0174] The aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to subject the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, pressure increase, or electrostatic energy.

[0175] Articles, for example rod shaped articles, are often named according to the product length, such as "regular" (typically in the range of 68-75 mm, e.g., about 68 mm to about 72 mm), "short" or "mini" (68 mm or less), "king size" (typically in the range of 75-91 mm, e.g., about 79 mm to about 88 mm), "long" or "super king" (typically in the range of 91-105 mm, e.g., about 94 mm to about 101 mm), and "ultra long" (typically in the range of about 110 mm to about 121 mm).

[0176] The articles are also named according to the product circumference: "regular" (approximately 23-25 ​​mm), "wide" (over 25 mm), "slim" (approximately 22-23 mm), "demi-slim" (approximately 19-22 mm), "super slim" (approximately 16-19 mm), and "micro-slim" (less than approximately 16 mm).

[0177] Thus, a king size super slim format article, for example, has a length of about 83 mm and a circumference of about 17 mm.

[0178] Each format may be manufactured with a different length of mouthpiece. The length of the mouthpiece is about 30mm to 50mm. The tipping paper connects the mouthpiece to the aerosol-generating material and typically has a length longer than the mouthpiece, for example 3 to 10mm, such that the tipping paper covers the mouthpiece and overlaps the aerosol-generating material, for example in the form of a rod of substrate material, and connects the mouthpiece to the rod.

[0179] The articles described herein, as well as the aerosol-forming materials and mouthpieces of the articles, can be made in any of the formats described above, but are not limited to these.

[0180] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined with respect to the direction of the mainstream aerosol being drawn through an article or device in use.

[0181] The filamentary tow material described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. The filamentary tow may also be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4 butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers or combinations thereof. The filamentary tow may be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for the tow, such as triacetin, where the material is cellulose acetate tow, or the tow may be unplasticized. The tow can have any suitable specifications, such as fibers having other cross sections, such as "Y" shaped or "X" shaped, with filamentary denier values ​​of 2.5 to 15 denier per filament, e.g., 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament, and total denier values ​​of 5,000 to 50,000, e.g., 10,000 to 40,000.

[0182] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material that includes tobacco or a derivative or substitute thereof. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco materials may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco lamina, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extract.

[0183] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating medium / material, such as an aerosol-generating material 3 of any of articles 1, 1', 1'', 1''', 1'''' described herein. Generally, device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article 110 comprising an aerosol-generating medium, e.g., articles 1, 1', 1'', 1'''', 1'''', described herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of device 100. Device 100 and replaceable article 110 together form a system.

[0184] The device 100 comprises a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and contains the various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 104 in one end through which an item 110 can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. In use, the item 110 can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly where it can be heated by one or more components of the heater assembly.

[0185] When article 110 is inserted into device 100, the minimum distance between one or more components of the heater assembly and tubular body 4a of article 110 may be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, for example 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm.

[0186] The device 100 in this example includes a first end member 106 that includes a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in place. In Figure 6, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the lid 108 may be moved to a closed configuration. For example, a user may slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B."

[0187] Device 100 may also include user-operable controls 112, such as buttons or switches that, when pressed, operate device 100. For example, a user may turn device 100 on by operating switch 112.

[0188] The device 100 may also include an electrical component, such as a socket / port 114 that can accept a cable for charging a battery of the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

[0189] Figure 7 depicts the device 100 of Figure 6 with the outer cover 102 removed and without the article 110 present. The device 100 defines a longitudinal axis 134.

[0190] As shown in FIG. 7, the first end member 106 is disposed at one end of the device 100, and the second end member 116 is disposed at an opposite end of the device 100. The first end member 106 and the second end member 116 together at least partially define an end surface of the device 100. For example, a bottom surface of the second end member 116 at least partially defines a bottom surface of the device 100. An edge of the outer cover 102 may also define a portion of the end surface. In this example, the lid 108 also defines a portion of a top surface of the device 100.

[0191] The end of the device closest to the opening 104 may be known as the proximal end (or mouth end) of the device 100, as it is closest to the user's mouth during use. During use, a user inserts an article 110 into the opening 104 and operates a user control 112 to initiate heating of the aerosol-generating material and inhale the aerosol generated within the device. This causes the aerosol to flow through the device 100 along a flow path toward the proximal end of the device 100.

[0192] The other end of the device furthest from opening 104 may be known as the distal end of device 100 because it is the end furthest from a user's mouth during use. When a user inhales the aerosol generated within the device, the aerosol flows from the distal end of device 100.

[0193] The device 100 further comprises a power source 118. The power source 118 can be, for example, a battery, such as a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The battery is electrically coupled to the heating assembly to provide power to heat the aerosol-generating material as needed under the control of a controller (not shown). In this example, the battery is connected to a central support 120 that holds the battery 118 in place.

[0194] The device further comprises at least one electronic module 122. The electronic module 122 may comprise, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB 122 may support at least one controller, such as a processor, and a memory. The PCB 122 may also comprise one or more electrical tracks for electrically connecting various electronic components of the device 100 together. For example, a battery terminal may be electrically connected to the PCB 122 so that power can be distributed throughout the device 100. The socket 114 may also be electrically coupled to a battery via the electrical tracks.

[0195] In the exemplary device 100, the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly, comprising various components for heating the aerosol-generating material of the article 110 via an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating an electrically conductive object (such as a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. The induction heating assembly may comprise an induction element, for example one or more inductor coils, and a device for passing a variable current, such as an alternating current, through the induction element. The variable current in the induction element generates a varying magnetic field. The varying magnetic field penetrates a susceptor appropriately positioned relative to the induction element, generating eddy currents inside the susceptor. The susceptor has an electrical resistance to the eddy currents, and thus the flow of eddy currents against this resistance causes the susceptor to heat by Joule heating. If the susceptor comprises a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat may also be generated by magnetic hysteresis losses in the susceptor, i.e., by the varying orientation of magnetic dipoles in the magnetic material resulting from the alignment of the magnetic material with the varying magnetic field. Induction heating generates heat inside the susceptor, allowing for rapid heating, as compared to, for example, heating by conduction, and does not require any physical contact between the induction heater and the susceptor, allowing for greater flexibility in construction and application.

[0196] The induction heating assembly of the exemplary device 100 includes a susceptor structure 132 (referred to herein as a "susceptor"), a first inductor coil 124, and a second inductor coil 126. The first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from a conductive material. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from a Litz wire / cable that is helically wound to provide the helical inductor coils 124, 126. The Litz wire includes multiple individual wires that are individually insulated and twisted together to form a single wire. The Litz wire is designed to reduce skin effect losses in the conductor. In the exemplary device 100, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from copper Litz wire with a rectangular cross section. In other examples, the Litz wire can have other shaped cross sections, such as circular.

[0197] The first inductor coil 124 is configured to generate a first varying magnetic field for heating a first section of the susceptor 132, and the second inductor coil 126 is configured to generate a second varying magnetic field for heating a second section of the susceptor 132. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 is adjacent to the second inductor coil 126 in a direction along a longitudinal axis 134 of the device 100 (i.e., the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 do not overlap). The susceptor structure 132 may comprise a single susceptor, or two or more separate susceptors. Ends 130 of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may be connected to the PCB 122.

[0198] It will be appreciated that the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may have at least one characteristic that differs from one another in some examples. For example, the first inductor coil 124 may have at least one characteristic that differs from the second inductor coil 126. More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil 124 may have a different inductance value than the second inductor coil 126. In FIG. 8, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are of different lengths such that the first inductor coil 124 is wound over a smaller section of the susceptor 132 than the second inductor coil 126. Thus, the first inductor coil 124 may include a different number of turns than the second inductor coil 126 (assuming that the spacing between the individual turns is substantially the same). In yet another example, the first inductor coil 124 may be made of a different material than the second inductor coil 126. In some examples, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 may be substantially identical.

[0199] In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when the inductor coils are active at different times. For example, first, the first inductor coil 124 can operate to heat a first section / portion of the article 110, and later, the second inductor coil 126 can operate to heat a second section / portion of the article 110. Winding the coils in opposite directions helps to reduce the current induced in the inactive coil when used with certain types of control circuits. In FIG. 7, the first inductor coil 124 is a right-handed helical spiral and the second inductor coil 126 is a left-handed helical spiral. However, in another embodiment, the inductor coils 124, 126 can be wound in the same direction, or the first inductor coil 124 can be a left-handed helical spiral and the second inductor coil 126 can be a right-handed helical spiral.

[0200] The susceptor 132 in this example is hollow and thus defines a receptacle in which the aerosol-generating material is received. For example, the article 110 can be inserted into the susceptor 132. In this example, the susceptor 120 is tubular with a circular cross-section.

[0201] The susceptor 132 may be made from one or more materials. Preferably, the susceptor 132 comprises carbon steel with a coating of nickel or cobalt.

[0202] In some examples, the susceptor 132 may include at least two materials that can be heated at two different frequencies for selective aerosolization of at least two materials. For example, a first portion of the susceptor 132 (heated by the first inductor coil 124) may include a first material, and a second portion of the susceptor 132 heated by the second inductor coil 126 may include a second, different material. In another example, the first section may include a first and a second material, and the first and second materials may be heated differently based on the operation of the first inductor coil 124. The first and second materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor 132 or may form different layers within the susceptor 132. Similarly, the second section may include a third and a fourth material, and the third and fourth materials may be heated differently based on the operation of the second inductor coil 126. The third and fourth materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor 132 or may form different layers within the susceptor 132. For example, the third material may be the same as the first material and the fourth material may be the same as the second material. In the alternative, each of the materials may be different. The susceptor may include, for example, carbon steel or aluminum.

[0203] 7 further comprises an insulating member 128, which may be generally tubular and may at least partially surround the susceptor 132. The insulating member 128 may be constructed from any insulating material, such as, for example, plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is constructed from polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The insulating member 128 may serve to insulate various components of the device 100 from heat generated within the susceptor 132.

[0204] The insulating member 128 can also fully or partially support the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are positioned around the insulating member 128 and are in contact with a radially outer surface of the insulating member 128. In some examples, the insulating member 128 does not abut the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, there may be a small gap between the outer surface of the insulating member 128 and the inner surfaces of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126.

[0205] In a specific example, the susceptor 132 , the insulating member 128 , and the first and second inductor coils 124 , 126 are coaxial about a central longitudinal axis of the susceptor 132 .

[0206] 8 shows a side view of device 100 in partial cross-section, in this example with outer cover 102 present. The rectangular cross-sectional shapes of first inductor coil 124 and second inductor coil 126 are more clearly visible.

[0207] The device 100 further includes a support 136 that engages one end of the susceptor 132 to hold the susceptor 132 in place. The support 136 is connected to the second end member 116.

[0208] The device may also include a second printed circuit board 138 associated with the control element 112 .

[0209] The device 100 further includes a second lid / cap 140 and a spring 142 disposed toward a distal end of the device 100. The spring 142 allows the second lid 140 to be opened to provide access to the susceptor 132. A user can open the second lid 140 to clean the susceptor 132 and / or the support 136.

[0210] The device 100 further comprises an expansion chamber 144 extending away from the proximal end of the susceptor 132 towards the opening 104 of the device. Located at least partially within the expansion chamber 144 is a retaining clip 146 for abutting and retaining the article 110 when the article 110 is received within the device 100. The expansion chamber 144 is connected to the end member 106.

[0211] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the device 100 of FIG. 8 with the outer cover 102 omitted.

[0212] FIG 10A depicts a cross-section of a portion of the device 100 of FIG 9. FIG 10B is an enlarged view of a region of FIG 10A. FIGs 10A and 10B show an article 110 received within a susceptor 132, the article 110 being dimensioned such that an outer surface of the article 110 abuts an inner surface of the susceptor 132. This ensures that heating occurs most efficiently. The article 110 in this example comprises an aerosol-generating material 110a. The aerosol-generating material 110a is positioned within the susceptor 132. The article 110 may also comprise other components, such as a filter, packaging material, and / or cooling structures.

[0213] 10B shows that the outer surface of the susceptor 132 is spaced from the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 150 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 150 is about 3 mm to 4 mm, about 3 to 3.5 mm, or about 3.25 mm.

[0214] 10B further illustrates that the outer surface of the insulating member 128 is spaced from the inner surfaces of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 152 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 152 is about 0.05 mm. In another example, the distance 152 is substantially 0 mm such that the inductor coils 124, 126 abut and contact the insulating member 128.

[0215] In one example, the susceptor 132 has a wall thickness 154 of about 0.025 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.05 mm.

[0216] In one example, the susceptor 132 has a length of about 40 mm to 60 mm, about 40 mm to 45 mm, or about 44.5 mm.

[0217] In one example, the insulating member 128 has a wall thickness 156 of about 0.25 mm to 2 mm, 0.25 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

[0218] A method of manufacturing a component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system may include applying a crimp pattern to a sheet material, the crimp pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves; providing a supply of tubular elements and a supply of aerosol modifier-emitting components; and gathering the sheet material around the tubular elements and the aerosol modifier-emitting components to form a body of material having the tubular elements and the aerosol modifier-emitting components embedded therein. An apparatus configured to manufacture a component as described herein may comprise a crimp roller for applying a crimp pattern to a sheet material, the crimp pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, a feed mechanism for a tubular element, a feed mechanism for an aerosol modifier-emitting component, and a garniture assembly for gathering the sheet material around the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component to form a body of material having the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component embedded therein.

Claims

1. 1. A component for an article for use in or as an aerosol delivery system, comprising: a body of a textile material; a first object and a second object circumferentially surrounded by the fibrous material, the first object being different from the second object; A component comprising:

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is cellulosic.

3. The component of claim 2 , wherein the cellulosic material is paper.

4. 4. The component of claim 3, wherein the paper is formed from wood pulp.

5. 3. The component of claim 2, wherein the cellulosic material is a reconstituted tobacco sheet.

6. The component of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one object is an aerosol modifier-releasing component.

7. Component according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one object is a tubular element.

8. The component of claim 7 , wherein the tubular elements extend to longitudinal ends of the component.

9. 9. The component of claim 7 or 8, wherein the tubular element is formed from a cellulosic material.

10. 10. The component of claim 9, wherein the cellulosic material is paper.

11. 11. The component of claim 10, wherein the paper is formed from wood pulp.

12. 10. The component of claim 9, wherein the cellulosic material is a reconstituted tobacco sheet.

13. 13. The component of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first and second objects are separated by a gap of 0.5 mm to 30 mm, or 1 mm to 20 mm, or 1.5 mm to 15 mm, or 2 mm to 10 mm.

14. The component of claim 13 , wherein the body extends into the gap.

15. The component of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body is formed from a sheet material.

16. 16. The component of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein a first crimp factor is applied to a first longitudinal region of the body of textile material and a second crimp factor is applied to a second longitudinal region of the body of textile material, the second longitudinal region being longitudinally offset from the first longitudinal region.

17. An article for use in or as an aerosol delivery system, the article comprising a component according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the component comprises a mouthpiece of the article.

19. 1. A method of manufacturing a component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, comprising: applying a crimp pattern to a sheet material, said crimp pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves; Providing a supply of tubular elements and a supply of aerosol modifier emitting components; gathering the sheet material around the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component to form a body of material having the tubular element and the aerosol modifier-emitting component embedded therein; A method comprising:

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